How To Reach From Delhi To Shimla

By Author: Rashmiranjan Patil
Total Articles: 261
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Delhi, capital of India, is a cosmopolitan city which shows the new face of contemporary Indian society. The marvels of architecture like The Parliament of India, Rashtrapati Bhavan and Mughal Gardens are all located in Delhi. The city has a glorious past being the capital of kingdoms and empires. Delhi is known for its ancient monuments like the India Gate, Qutub Minar, Juma Masjid and Red Fort; fabulous eating places and bustling markets.

Shimla, nestled in the Himalayan ranges and located at an average height of 2200 meters is unique with its unparalleled beauty. A very popular holiday retreat, it is the capital of the State of Himachal Pradesh. Many British period, Victorian architectural buildings are found here. Shimla is famous for The Mall (main shopping centre), Chadwick falls, Jhakoo hills and the Viceregal Lodge.

Dehi to Shimla is well connected by the road and rail routes but at present there are no flights connecting the two cities.

Shimla is located at a distance of 370 km from Delhi. From Delhi one has to drive on the NH1 via Panipat, Karnal and Pipli to reach Ambala. From Ambala take the ...
... NH22 via Panchkula to arrive at Kalka. The roads from here are on hilly terrain and you can drive via Dharampur and Kandaghat to finally arrive at Shimla. The entire journey takes about 9 hours. Overall the conditions of the road are very good.

There are many Volvo bus services of the Himachal Tourism (HPTDC) and other private operators from Delhi to Shimla. The fare ranges from Rs 800 to Rs 1200 per seat.

To save hassles one can also book a private cab service from Delhi to Shimla and the charges for a round trip starts from Rs 4500 and upwards.

There are no direct trains from Delhi to Shimla because the tracks at Shimla are narrow gauge. The broad gauge track ends at Kalka. The Kalka Shimla mountain line is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is connected by toy trains. The Delhi Kalka route is connected with by a number of trains. To mention a few are the Himalayan Queen (14095) which leaves Delhi at 05.45 hours and arrives at Kalka at 11.10 hours. The Kalka Shatabdi Express (12011) departs from Delhi at 07.40 hours and arrives at Kalka at 11.45 hours.

From Kalka one can take one of the toy trains which cover 96 km in about6 hours time. Some of the popular trains are the Kalka Shimla Passenger (52457), Shivalik Deluxe Express (52451), Kalka Shimla Express (52453), Himalayan Queen (52455) and the Rail Motor (72451) among others. It is possible to do online reservation of train tickets through the web portal of Indian Railways. The Claridges Delhi hotel and Shingar Hotel Shimla both have the good service.